Active EOWG participants,
Here are some miscellaneous notes about how EOWG works. Please skim this message now, and make time to read it more carefully at some point soon.
There are two mailing lists:
1. w3c-wai-eo@w3.org is the main list for EOWG. It is publicly archived. This is an open list and there are many people on it who are not active participants in the Group/teleconferences.
2. wai-eo-editors@w3.org is for things like copyedits on documents and other e-mails for editors that don't need to clutter the main EOWG list. Only a couple of people get these messages in their In Box. Messages to this list are publicly archived.
During teleconferences, please keep your initial comments short. We want to give everyone the opportunity to share their perspectives. You can provide additional followup if needed.
Assume a fairly high level of web accessibility knowledge and experience among the other participants (on the teleconference and on the list) -- and one that might be different from yours. Be respectful of different perspectives.
As I've mentioned recently, we are continually challenged with finding a balance between completing documents/deliverables (calling it "good enough") and refining drafts to be better. Some deliverables we really need to get "right" and take the time to do so. Other deliverables we need to spend less time on. It depends on the deliverable. Feel free to ask where we are with each as we are working on them.
One way to help with the balance is to quantify your comments -- that is, indicate how important the issue is to you; for example, "this is a significant issue that we need to fix" versus, "this is just an idea that I'm happy for the editor or others to follow up on or not". *Please do share your ideas*! And also be open to how the group addresses them.
*We want to make sure that all ideas are considered* -- and we don't want to spend a whole lot of time considering less important issues.
I expect that sometimes you will feel like (and maybe even say): That's not how I would do it, yet I'm OK with it in this case.
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On a lighter note: You are welcome to join the teleconference a little early to chat. That's kinda nice. In any case, please try not to be late, in respect of everyone's time.
And an action item for you: I put together an informal page with some notes for potential WAI editors at: http://www.w3.org/WAI/EO/Drafts/editors (note that I don't want it tweeted or blogged or such). I welcome any suggestions for changes based on your experience in EOWG.
Finally, remember that specific suggestions are easiest to process. Certainly in the teleconference it might be hard to come up with wording changes on-the-fly. In such cases, do share your comment anyway, and then followup afterwords. In e-mail, clearly state the issue and suggested change. That way the editor and others can better understand your position and consider it with other factors.
Thanks for your contribution to W3C WAI EOWG work! It's a collaborative effort.
~Shawn
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Shawn Lawton Henry
W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
e-mail: shawn@w3.org
phone: +1.617.395.7664
about: http://www.w3.org/People/Shawn/